Subaru: Quirky looks carry their own attraction

It may not be pretty, but the new Subaru Legacy GT is a decent performer. Photo / Supplied

After a spirited launch drive in the wet late last year I was impressed by Subaru's Legacy GT, at least in performance terms. But living with a car can reveal hitherto unsuspected foibles.

The bad news? I can't love that face. It may have character but so does actor Gerard Depardieu and no one would call him handsome.

The good news? After 600km-odd of varied driving the car seemed largely foible-free, though it took a while to get used to this comfort-handling compromise.

The Bilstein shocks suggest a serious approach but Subaru has somewhat softened the suspension with every day use in mind. At daily driver cruising speeds she feels a little vague and displays a tad more body roll than I'd like.

Were my launch impressions mistaken? No: take this car by the scruff and hustle it through some bends to find its happy to play if not the natural hooligan its predecessors were.

It helps that there's plentiful power on tap. This 2.5-litre turbo delivers its best from 2400 to 5200rpm. Select 'sport sharp' from the console dial and drive her on the throttle, your foot settling it through bends, hauling out of them, fingers dancing on the steering wheel-mounted paddles if you need to change gear. This was the five-speed auto, the wide torque band offsetting the absence of a sixth cog, and the car actually a fraction quicker to 100 than its manual sibling.

Drive like this and it likes to guzzle but you can effortlessly cut its thirst using 'sport' or safe 'n' sensible 'intelligent' modes. Both knock back response with 'intelligent' tuned for relaxed performance and frugal fuel use. An Auckland-to-Hamilton cruise and some city and hill-country errands spiced by a bit of hoonery returned a 9.6l/100km average reasonable for the breed and below Subaru's claim.

The softer suspenders and the ability to select an economical operating mode underline this car's usual daily-driver persona. I suspect Subaru's got it right for every minute you wish for a sharper-handling vehicle, there'll be 30 enjoying a relaxed approach, using the voice-operated Bluetooth and appreciating the supportive seats.

There's also a reasonable specification list that includes seven airbags. There's plenty of internal storage and the McIntosh sound system is easy to use despite the fiddly buttons as they are widely spaced. However, I was a bit disappointed with the less-than-intuitive satnav despite a colossal screen that renders the reversing camera especially effective. Its idiosyncrasies underline how good some of the portable after-market jobbies are nowadays.

Subaru's a whisker wide of the mark in aiming this car at the Euros; it falls just short of the sleek elegance required. Still, at $65,990, this Legacy GT is sufficiently spacious and smart that - along with the assurance of four-wheel-grip - it delivers a viable alternative.

And, though it may not be as chic as those cars, its quirky looks carry their own attraction. After all, it worked for Depardieu.

Subaru Legacy GT

We like
Characterful and dynamic drive alongside daily-driver comfort, reasonable economy

We don't like
Softer suspension initially feels vague, electronic park brake means no handbrake turns

Powertrain
2.5-litre horizontally opposed 2.5-litre petrol turbo, 195kW at 5600rpm, 350Nm from 2400-5200rpm, five-speed auto drives all four wheels

Performance
0-100km/h in 6.2 seconds, 9.7l/100km (claimed)

Safety
Seven airbags, ABS brakes, stability and traction control

What it's got
Auto air, keyless entry and start, 18-inch alloy wheels, voice-controlled Bluetooth and satnav, reversing camera, sunroof, leather

Vital stats
4745mm long, 476-litre boot, tank size